By Fikir Gilitsi, Political Analyst
Some 63 odd years have elapsed since France gave independence to her former colonies in West and Central Africa.
Yet, the European nation continues to wield considerable power and influence in those countries overall administration, politically, economically, socially and culturally to this day.
According to many African elites including Nathalie Yamb of Ivory Coast’s Freedom and Democracy Party, France goes as far as even determining the contents of school textbooks.
When France knew the time was up for the independence for African countries, they abolished parliamentary administration and introduced presidential regime in many of its former colonies right before nationhood so as to be able to manipulate select individuals with all the trappings of state power.
Under the guise of military protection against coups and the campaign against terrorism, France has strong military presence and scoops resources from the continent such as diamond, ore, uranium, gas and oil among just a few.
The country even retains the right of first refusal on all natural resources and privileged access to government contracts in those countries where France still holds some sway.
Although, a groundswell of Africa’s youthful population is becoming more and more vocal about claiming true independence and breaking up with this skewed and unhealthy relationship with France so as to serve indigenous interests and not of a former colonial power, France’s policy towards the continent remains very consistent with the geopolitics of the past meaning that the paradigms haven’t changed. The mindset of those setting France’s agenda in Africa hasn’t changed. It is still very colonial in nature and intent, presupposing that African countries must still support the proverbial mother country. They never run out of excuses and the pretexts with which to maintain this status quo ,irrespective of whether human rights are trampled in the process or not.
It is this same France that continues to spit in the face of the world by pretending to defend human rights elsewhere while violating them in its relations with Africa. One clear example was that their Foreign Ministry called on Azerbaijan to respect the rights of the Armenian population in Karabakh, following a peaceful demonstration by a group of civil society representatives alongside the Lachin-Khankendi road against the continued illegal exploitation of the natural resources of Azerbaijan, which is causing environmental degradation.
Although, the protests were not orchestrated by the government of Republic of Azerbaijan, it supports the call to end illegal mining on Azerbaijan’s territory and the infiltration of the Lachin-Khankendi road for the illicit trafficking of those natural resources to Armenia and beyond.
Actually, this is not the first time Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis have voiced concerns regarding exploitation of resources by Armenia. The country has been drawing the attention of the international community to such wrongdoings consistently for almost thirty years.
Azerbaijan uncovered shocking evidence that Armenia depleted natural resources and destroyed biodiversity, causing sever harm to natural habitats and species, during the period of illegal occupation of Azerbaijan’s territory.
As a result, important and often unique habitats and species in the Caucasus suffered widespread deforestation, unsustainable logging and pollution, through significant construction and mining in forest regions as well as on going contamination from irresponsibly managed industrial activities in Armenia that pollute trans-boundary rivers.
As it must have been for any sovereign country, this illegal exploitation of natural resources and its diverse impact on the environment is a serious concern for Azerbaijan ever since these illegal activities in the years of occupation have already led to deforestation, illegal exploitation of gold reserves, and contamination of rivers in the area. Further continuation of such activities cannot be tolerated, and these civil society representatives have all the rights to peacefully protest.
The protestors boldly demanded that Azerbaijani ecologists be granted access to these mineral deposits to monitor their condition since illegal exploitation of the Demirli and Gizilbulag deposits are causing severe ecological damage in Karabakh. Azerbaijanis have all the rights to protest on their own soil and are protected under international law. The new Lachin-Khankendi road was built by Azerbaijan and granted for the purpose of transportation for ethnic Armenians residing in Karabakh, as well as for the delivery of humanitarian cargo, not to be used for illegal activities such as export of illegally exploited natural resources, transfer from Armenia of mines, weapons and military personnel to the territory of Azerbaijan.
Despite the fact that since orchestrated by Armenia and its supporters propaganda about non-existing “blockade” since the middle of December more than 2500 huge trucks have and are continuing to deliver humanitarian supplies on a daily basis. Civilians have chosen to seek the assistance of the ICRC and Russian peacekeepers instead.
In light of this, France has made baseless claims that there’s a blockade, while contradicting itself by recalling “the need to comply with the provision of the tripartite trilateral statement signed on 10 November 2020 by three leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia. According to the tripartite statement, the 5km wide Lachin corridor, which provides a connection between Karabakh territory of Azerbaijan and Armenia, remains under the control of the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation, while Azerbaijan guarantees the safety of citizens, vehicles and goods in both directions. It says nothing about that road being extraterritorial. The statement hasn’t mentioned a word about unhindered access. According to this statement, the safety of movement on the road is guaranteed by Azerbaijan, and not by the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation that also implies a prevention misusing the road. And instead, the statement mentions unimpeded access only for Azerbaijan’s main land with its Nakhchivan Autonomus Republic through the territory of Armenia, a commitment that Armenia fails to implement so far.
France is often accused of bringing up “human rights” in connection with its own interests. The fact that it has allied itself with Armenia’s campaign of disinformation about humanitarian situations as the result of these legitimate protests shows its true colour and only consolidates the accusations against it. It is not clear what interests France, and others including some international organisations and NGOs have in the exploitations and illegal activities on the Lachin-Khankendi road by Armenia being also pushed by a warlord like Ruben Vardanyan, who has no affiliation by origin with the territory whatsoever showing scant interest in Karabakh before and been implanted there artificially to lead the de-facto activities in a bid to obstruct ethnic Armenians future as a full-fledge and protected citizens of Azerbaijan.
A Russian millionaire Vardanyan was president, chief executive officer and principal partner of the Troika Dialogue.
The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) published the results of an investigation on his engagements including money-laundering amounting to billions of US dollars.